QR Code Reader
Scan a QR code with your camera or upload an image. URLs are shown safely — we never redirect automatically.
Camera access requires HTTPS and a one-time permission.
Result
Start the camera or drop a QR image. The decoded value will appear here — we never auto-open links.
What QR codes can contain
QR codes are just short text. ReadBarcode detects the most common categories and shows them in a structured view.
URL
Web links — shown for review, never auto-opened.
Plain text
Any short text payload, copied with one tap.
mailto: with optional subject and body.
Phone
tel: numbers ready to dial on mobile.
Wi-Fi
WIFI: payloads parsed into SSID, security and password.
Unknown
Anything else is shown as the raw decoded value.
Safe link handling
Malicious QR codes (sometimes called "quishing") can hide phishing links behind a friendly sticker. ReadBarcode never opens scanned URLs automatically. We show the full link and the host so you can verify the destination before clicking. External links open in a new tab with rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow".
About the QR code reader
This QR code reader decodes QR codes from your camera or an uploaded image, all inside your browser. It recognises common QR payload types — URLs, plain text, Wi‑Fi credentials, email, phone and SMS — and shows them in a safe, readable format. We never redirect automatically; you choose whether to open a scanned link.
It's a deliberately small, focused QR scanner online: no signup, no tracking, no app store install required.
When to use it
- Reading a QR code on a poster, menu or product without opening your phone's app.
- Scanning a Wi‑Fi QR code at a café and copying the password manually.
- Checking a suspicious QR code (quishing) before opening the URL.
- Decoding a contact QR or SMS QR for review before acting on it.
- Testing QR codes you generated to make sure they encode the right payload.
How it works
- 1Step 1Pick camera or upload
Switch tabs depending on whether you have the code in front of you or as a file.
- 2Step 2Scan or drop
Point the camera at the QR or drop the image into the upload area.
- 3Step 3We categorize the payload
URL, text, Wi‑Fi, email, phone or SMS — each gets its own safe view.
- 4Step 4Inspect before acting
Verify the host, the SSID or the phone number before opening anything.
- 5Step 5Copy what you need
Copy the value or, for URLs, click through manually.
What to avoid
- Opening QR links blindly — quishing attacks rely on auto-redirect scanners.
- Trusting a QR code stuck over an existing one in public (common parking-meter scam).
- Assuming a Wi‑Fi QR is safe just because it scans — verify the SSID.
- Photographing QR codes at sharp angles or under heavy glare.
- Confusing a QR with a 1D UPC/EAN — use the barcode reader for product codes.
Tips & tricks
- Always check the URL host before you click through.
- On phones, hold steady about 10–15 cm from the code for a quick decode.
- For QR codes on screens, lower brightness slightly to remove reflections.
- If a code keeps failing, take a photo and use the upload tab instead.
- Use the copy button to paste a Wi‑Fi password straight into the settings app.